Enclosure for air conditioners and the like

Claim 2

An enclosure for air-conditioners and the like comprising a one-piece molded chassis having a pair of laterally spaced side walls, an integral fire wall extending between said side walls intermediate the ends thereof defining separate compartments on opposite sides of said fire wall, a floor member extending between said side walls on the rear side of said fire wall providing a drain pan area, said floor member being integral with said side walls and said fire wall, at least one blower housing forwardly of said fire wall, and a horizontal suspension platform integral with said fire wall and extending forwardly therefrom for mounting of a blower motor, said blower housing having an air discharge opening in its upper surface, means for mounting an evaporator above said blower housing and horizontal suspension platform, said blower housing and horizontal suspension platform being shaped to provide a drain pan area surrounding said air discharge opening, and a drain hole in said fire wall providing communication between said drain pan areas on opposite sides of said fire wall, said drain pan area surrounding said air discharge opening being sloped to provide fast run-off of condensate forwardly of said fire wall to the rear thereof, said blower housing comprising upper and lower halves, one of said blower housing halves being integral with said fire wall and with said horizontal suspension platform.

Claim 3

The enclosure of claim 1 wherein there are a pair of said blower housings forwardly of said fire wall, each comprising upper and lower halves, with air discharge openings in the upper halves thereof, said horizontal suspension platform being disposed between said blower housings and integral with one half of each of said blower housings, both of said blower housings and horizontal suspension platform therebetween being shaped to provide drain pan areas surrounding said air discharge openings, and there are a plurality of drain holes in said fire wall providing communication between said drain pan areas on opposite sides of said fire wall.

Claim 4

The enclosure of claim 2 wherein said drain pan areas surrounding each of said air discharge openings slope away from each other toward opposite corners, and there are drain holes in said fire wall at said opposite corners to provide fast run off of condensate forwardly of said fire wall to the rear thereof as aforesaid.

Claim 5

The enclosure of claim 2 further comprising an interior wall integral with said fire wall and extending forwardly therefrom between said side walls, said interior wall providing a pair of spaced apart compartments forwardly of said fire wall which are isolated and insulated from each other, one of said compartments containing said blower housings, and the other compartment being adapted to receive the electrical controlS for various components, one half of each of said blower housings also being integral with said interior wall and one of said side walls, respectively.

Claim 6

The enclosure of claim 4 further comprising notches in the upper edge of said fire wall for passage of electrical wires leading from the electrical controls to various electrical components.

Claim 7

The enclosure of claim 4 wherein the upper edge of said interior wall is sloped downwardly to provide a clearance between the evaporator and interior wall for passage of electrical wires leading from the electrical controls to various electrical components.

Claim 8

The enclosure of claim 6 further comprising mounting brackets for supporting the evaporator at an angle above said blower housings and horizontal suspension platform.

Claim 9

The enclosure of claim 1 further comprising means for mounting a heater element above the evaporator.

Claim 10

The enclosure of claim 4 further comprising a bar integral with the forwardmost portions of said blower housings and suspension platform for increased strength, the ends of said bar also being integral with said interior wall and said one side wall, respectively.

Claim 11

The enclosure of claim 1 further comprising separate top and front covers adapted to be attached to the top and front edges, respectively, of said enclosure, said top and front covers and said enclosure being molded from plastic material to provide a rigid, corrosion resistant assembly.

Claim 12

The enclosure of claim 10 wherein said plastic is a fiberglass reinforced plastic.

Claim 13

The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said side walls include a vertically extending step forwardly of said fire wall facing rearwardly for abutting engagement with a wall when said enclosure is inserted into an opening therein.

Claim 14

The enclosure of claim 12 wherein said opening is lined with a plastic sleeve.

Claim 15

The enclosure of claim 1 further comprising mounts integral with said floor member for mounting of compressor and condenser motors rearwardly of said fire wall, and a groove in said floor member for collecting condensate, said condenser motor having a fan with a slinger ring adapted to extend into said groove for picking up the condensate in said groove and blowing the condensate across a condenser adapted to be mounted at the rear of said enclosure.

Claim 16

The enclosure of claim 14 wherein the lower half of a fan cowling is integral with said floor member, and the upper half of said fan cowling is integral with a one-piece molded cover member adapted to be attached to the upper edges of said enclosure.

Claim 17

An enclosure for air-conditioners and the like comprising a one-piece molded chassis having a pair of laterally spaced side walls, an integral fire wall extending between said side walls intermediate the ends thereof defining separate compartments on opposite sides of said fire wall, a floor member extending between said side walls on the rear side of said fire wall providing a drain pan area, said floor member being integral with said side walls and fire wall, an interior wall integral with said fire wall and extending forwardly therefrom between said side walls, said interior wall providing a pair of spaced apart compartments forwardly of said fire wall which are isolated and insulated from each other, one of said compartments forwardly of said fire wall containing blower housings, and the other compartment forwardly of said fire wall being adapted to receive the electrical controls for various components, said blower housings comprising upper and lower halves, said upper halves being integral with said fire wall and said interior wall and one of said side walls and having air discharge openings in their upper surfaces, and a horizontal suspension platform between said blower housings for mounting of a blower motor, said horizontal suspension platform being integral with said fire wall and said upper halves of said blower housings, means for mounting an evaporator above said blower housings and horizontal suspension platform, saiD blower housings and horizontal suspension platform being shaped to provide drain pan areas surrounding said air discharge openings, and drain holes in said fire wall providing communication between said drain pan areas on opposite sides of said fire wall, said drain pan areas surrounding said air discharge openings being sloped to provide fast run off of condensate from the forward side of said fire wall to the rear side thereof, and separate one-piece top and front covers adapted to be attached to the top and front edges, respectively, of said enclosure, said top and front covers and said enclosure being molded from plastic material to provide a rigid, corrosion resistant assembly.

Claim 18

An enclosure for air-conditioners and the like comprising a one-piece molded chassis having a pair of laterally spaced side walls, an integral fire wall extending between said side walls intermediate the ends thereof defining separate compartments on opposite sides of said fire wall, a floor member extending between said side walls on the rear side of said fire wall providing a drain pan area, said floor member being integral with said side walls and fire wall, an interior wall integral with said fire wall and extending forwardly therefrom between said side walls, said interior wall providing a pair of spaced apart compartments forwardly of said fire wall which are isolated and insulated from each other, one of said compartments forwardly of said fire wall containing blower housings, and the other compartment forwardly of said fire wall being adapted to receive the electrical controls for various components, said blower housings comprising upper and lower halves, said upper halves being integral with said fire wall and said interior wall and one of said side walls and having air discharge openings in their upper surfaces, and a horizontal suspension platform between said blower housings for mounting of a blower motor, said horizontal suspension platform being integral with said fire wall and said upper halves of said blower housings, means for mounting an evaporator above said blower housings and horizontal suspension platform, saiD blower housings and horizontal suspension platform being shaped to provide drain pan areas surrounding said air discharge openings, and drain holes in said fire wall providing communication between said drain pan areas on opposite sides of said fire wall, said drain pan areas surrounding said air discharge openings being sloped to provide fast run off of condensate from the forward side of said fire wall to the rear side thereof, and separate one-piece top and front covers adapted to be attached to the top and front edges, respectively, of said enclosure, said top and front covers and said enclosure being molded from plastic material to provide a rigid, corrosion resistant assembly.